The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1887-06-08
SMUGGLED DIAMONDS.

SMUGGLED DIAMONDS
81 got my start In business by helping
smuggler to save the goods he was trying
to smuggle, and don't think I did any
wrong by it," said ship chandler, Of this
city, to n group Of seq captains who had
assembled in the snug little office Of his
well Stocked store one afternoon recently.
The surprise which this announcement had
provoked gave place to expressions Of
curiosity on the part Of the assembled cap
tains, and the chandler proceeded to ex-
plain his Innocent connection with the
smuggling industry.
"When l was about 10 years old" said
the chandler, 81 went to sea. Ishipped as
cook on an American bark, which finally
landed me In Liverpool, where 1 was paid
of. After got rid Of my wages looked
about for another ship l found berth
as cook on an American bark of 600 tons,
which was bound for Savannah. The cap
tain was quiet sort of man, with small
black eyes, each Of which looked as II It
was trying to keep what It was doing from
the other. The day before the bark
sailed long, narrow box came on
board, and tho captain had II slowed
away carefully in his stateroom. The
box looked as though 1t might con-
tain coffin. made up my mind that
there was a body inside, but as wasn't
supsrstitious myself didn't pay much at
tention to the matter at the time. The
crew looked like tough men. They were
hard cases, as a rule, but they seemed
willing enough to do their work-all ex-
cept two. These were big, brawny Irish
man we called Dublin Nike and wiry,
Spanish-looking chap named Tony. Mike
and Tony were always telling the other
chaps that they were working too hard,
and were advising them to stand up for
their rights. We had good run for about
three weeks, and had made the better part
Of the voyage, when n heavy northerly
gallo set in. Thoro was good deal of iron
in the cargo, and that made tho bark labor
badly. Sho strained 30 much that she
sprang bad loak. Tho pumps had to be
kept going nearly all the time. The gale
lasted several days, and we drifted con-
siderably 10 the southwark. The men got
tired of working 30 much at tho pumps,
and then 1t leaked out about the strange
looking box in the captains stateroom.
"'No wonder we have bad luok,' said
Dublin Mike, with that stiff on board,'
and the chap began to work on the super
stitious feeling Of the men by telling them
that no ship with dead body on board
was ever known to get through voyage
without trouble
"That night, at four bells In the dog
watch, all hands laid aft and asked to see
the captain. The skipper came out Of the
cabin looking sort OF scared and asked the
men what they wanted Mike, who was
spokesman, said that they couldn't stand
It any longer with dead body on board.
The body had got to go overheard, OF else
the ship would go down. The skipper
said that the idea that dead body could
bring any harm to ship was all nonsense,
and he told the men to go forward. Then
Tony cried out to the men to follow him
and made dash toward the cabin door.
Stop, men, cried the captain, 'thers
amt any body In that box
'Tony and the rest stopped.
"'That hox,' tho captain went On to
say, has only got some silks In It that
want to get through without duty. Per-
hRps there's some diamonds In with the
silks, and perhaps there's more diamonds
than there Is silks. I'm going to put into
Bermuda for repairs. We'ro within two
days sail Of Bermuda now
But said Tony II we help you TO
save the diamonds and silks you ought to
divide with us when we get to Savannah. )
"'And so will,' said the skipper.
mike swore that the captain ought to
| open tho box and show the mon that there
was really no body In It. Tony seized
| Mike by the arm and whispered something
| to him in an angry tone. Mike then stam-
mered and said that he would take the
captains word for II and ali went for
ward quietly.
"Tho wind was fair during the next
twenty-four hours, end the next night
| ,ubap 7 t,,rpal In 7 upAav1tood TINT tha
chances were that we would reach Ber-
muda some time IN the morning. Tho
watch on deck had been keeping the pumps
going nearly all tho time, and could hear
them clicking as fell asleep. slept In a
little statero6m right aft Of the forecastle.
There was little air hole In the bulkhead
between my room and the forecastle.
had frequently heard what was going or
in the forccastle, but had never paid much
attention to it That night woke W
feeling kind Of uncomfortable heard
voices In tho forecastle. fancied tha
the watches had just been changed and
tried to go to sleep again, but could not
The talking in the forecastle kept on
This surprised me, because the mel
usually went to sleep the moment the.
hole and listened.
"'What will We DO with tho cnokr
heard sailor say
"'Thcyll lock him In Just before eigh
bells, replied voice, which I recognize,
Ms Mikes.
''Thcu heard noise as If my door AM
the shutters over my window were bein
fastened got upsoftly ami felt my door
f'uui that | had been fastened in.
r'Hunrl back into my berth and, putin
my ear To the hole, listened again.